July 15
Micah 6:3-8
Pleasing God
Through Micah’s preaching, the Lord reminded the Israelites living in Judah how He had brought them out of Egypt and rescued them from slavery.
Then Micah asked the people some questions they should have been asking themselves: “What should I bring to the Lord when I come to worship Him? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of sheep or rivers of olive oil?”
“No, of course not,” Micah said. “What the Lord wants from you is this: to do what is right, to show mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”
What does God expect of me?
Do you want to please God by the way you live? What do you think pleases God most? Some people do good religious deeds to show how good they are, but that does not impress God at all!
Jesus lived the perfect example of someone who pleases God. He showed fairness by defending a woman who had sinned and was about to be punished by men who were just as guilty of sin (John 8:3–11). He showed mercy by healing the ear of a man who had come to arrest Him (Luke 22:50–51). And Jesus showed humility by kneeling down and washing His disciples’ dirty feet (John 13:3–5).
What God expects of you is not difficult. This is what He wants from you:
• to be just and fair (Proverbs 31:9);
• to be merciful and loving (Luke 6:36);
• to submit to God with humility (1 Peter 5:6).
If you forget these three things, just remember this verse: “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31). By doing this, you will please God.
Verse for today
And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Hebrews 13:16